The Lady of The Choice
by RynTheLadyOne
Summary: Kalasin is granted one ultimate Choice by her father, after she makes that primary choice, she discovers that she is the chosen of the Goddess Ryn, goddess of Choices and Promises, and as such her life is filled with many Choices and forks in the road. AN
1. First Step

Lady of The Choice:

The First Step

Dawn. Warm light began to seep over a windowsill in the great palace of Corus. A figure lay in an exquisite bed, in a genteel room. In the early glow of the morning, one could tell that the lovely girl was Kalasin, the oldest daughter of King Jonathon III. The young woman's eyes flittered open, and I could see the smile that crossed her full lips, and the gleam in her Conte blue eyes. She looked at me then, and crossed the room to lift me from my perch.

"Jany, I wonder if they will let me hunt with you, the family of this man I must choose." She stroked my feathers with slow rhythmic movements, as I thought.

_Let her? No one, barring the king as ever presumed to tell Kally that she could not hunt with me, her very own Kestrel!_

She set me down after awhile, and I felt a swell of pride at my hoodless and Jess less state. I am the only hunting Kestrel allowed to roam free in the Palace, and I take pride in this fact. When I was first Hatched, a hatchling, Kally picked me. Wing-Sister Daine told Kally that if I was trained by her, that I would love her like a nest-sister, even as a mere chick, whose stage I am scarcely out of now. But anyway, back to Kally's story. My eyes follow my Mistress as she dresses, and she talks to me as she does, as always. First, however, she sheds her night-feathers, and steps out of the pooled mass. As she does this, I nuzzle my own feathers, wishing I could molt so easily, even if I would have to do it so often. Now, she speaks to me.

"Jany, I am going to tell you this because I can tell no one else." She pauses, momentarily lifting her thin featherless wings. "I cannot marry for Love, for the man I love is out of reach. Father would be displeased if I married a Commoner when I could marry for peace. Scanra, I will avoid if I can. There, they would kill me. Oh, Jany, what is a Princess to do when faced with a choice!" Although Kally did not see the creature in the corner, I did. I knew it was Midsummer's Eve, and was expecting the Kestrel Goddess to visit, but the deity in the corner I had not expected. Ryn, goddess of Choices and Promises, grinned at me, before fading away. At that opportune moment, Sadi entered to help Kalasin dress. Together, they went to the closet, as Daine calls it, where Kally keeps her Day-Feathers. They chose her nicest one, or so Kally says it is her best; I think they are useless, for they offer no protection. Anyway, once she had dressed, they began to fuss with her head feathers. When finally Kally was done, Sadi left and a new Kalasin turned to look at me, one whose face was hard, determined, one whose eyes were cold.

"I made my Choice. I still want you present though, darling." She tugged on her finest leather Glove, and I alighted to her fist. After I had settled myself down well, She pushed back a Tapestry, and we entered her private sitting room. Seated there were four young men, with Kally's personal herald hovering over them all. One of the men was a tall creature, one with blonde hair and icy gray eyes. He was dressed in what Daine would call a 'Civilized Manner' but I smelled Death on him. The next man I noticed was pudgy, and his head feathers, though a bright copper, were fading atop his head, and his brown eyes were worn and tired. The third was a man with curling brown hair and smoky green eyes, tanned and medium build. Finally, my gaze alighted on the fourth man, he was dark skinned and eyed, with black shadows along his eyes that made him look like his eyes titled back. His dark hair was neatly held where it ought to be. But it was the jewels that adorned him that caught most of my attention, rings on every finger! I pumped my wings and lifted from Her gloved fist, settling myself on the room's perch. I watched Fallon now, the man that Kally 'Loved'.

"Your Royal Highness, may I present the Lord Rathausak, from Scanra." Kalasin presented her hand to him and he took it, but turned it over, looking at it. Next, he reached out and grabbed her chin, his fingers extended along her jaw. I smelled the pain on her, and my eyes told me that she would be bruised tommorow morning. Angrily, I look to Fallon, who is clenching his fists. He can do nothing. I look to her Guards, but they face her door. As I look to the guards, I note that the ringed man looks as offended as I feel.

_Why do they do nothing!_ I cry _do they not care?!_ Then it hits me. Thanks to Daine, I learned that when dealing with high-ranking foreigners, certain protocol must be followed. That was what restrained everyone. But I am an Animal; I am not bound by Protocol. I launch myself at the man, sinking talons deep into the man's face, before returning to my perch. He has let Kally go, and I am happy. Fallon now continues the introductions. Duke Blaryn, the Bald, is from Tusaine, and while courteous, he is horribly old. Then Tyric from Tyra is introduced. He is only the third son of a Duke. Finally, Fallon looks at the ringed man.

"And finally, Your Highness, his excellency the Emperor Kaddar." The Ring man stands, and Kally drops a curtsy, not even offering this man her hand. He ranks her. Kaddar reached down and took her hand, an enchanted look on his face.

"Princess." He lifted her hand to his lips. Kally smiled at him and shot Fallon an angry look. Protocol demanded that the highest-ranking man be announced first, not last. Soon, Kalasin tells them they must go. She walks them all to the door, but Kaddar stops her.

"Princess." He took her hand again. "I-"

"I have made my choice, Excellency." In the Background, I feel like Ryn, child of Mithros and the Goddess, smiles at Kally. Kaddar nodded and took her other hand.

"Of course, but I have a gift." He slid a gorgeous ring upon her finger, and turned to walk away.

"Aye." Kalasin whispered firmly. "I have made my Choice."


	2. Announcements and Displeasures

Lady of The Choice:

Announcements and Displeasures

Kally righted herself, pulling away from the door. She winced, running a hand along her jaw, and I realize now that her cool aloofness is an act, the front she puts on to be like a true Princess. Sadi and Fallon are at the other end of the room, watching her.

"Highness," Said begins, but Kally holds her hand up. She pulled the pins from her head-feathers, and her natural wavy hair falls to her waist. My Kally is a lovely woman, especially as two-leggers go. She is tall, with the build of her mother, graced with the Gift of her father, and instilled with the legacy of a proud and solid country. Kally whistles and walks to her Tapestry, I fly through while she hold it open, while Kally pulls on her riding gown, a high-necked dark blue affair, with a silver tree, one with many branches, embroidered on it's neck. It is the symbol of Ryn. The sleeves are long and fluted, and the gown is pleated, so that she can ride astride. Two soft blue leather gloves go onto her hands.

"Sadi, Fallon. Jany and I are going for a ride." She swept up a black cloak, one with no ornament, and we leave her chambers. As we traverse through the back halls, Kalasin with a black hood over her face, me flying above and ahead, I understand that she does not wish to be recognized. We are out of luck. Roald, now a Squire, as seen us.

"Kally! Kally, wait!" Roald walks up to his sister, and takes her hand.

"Where are you off to?"

"Riding."

"Alone?"

"Jany is coming."

"Kally...."

"Roald!" The two stood there, staring at each other, Roald looking down several inches into his sister's face. Roald was calm, though he could be king-like when the need arose, however, never with Kally. Kally is fierce and solid about whatever she chooses, kind of like a blend of Thayet and Buri.

Finally, the crown prince backed down.

"Fine, Kalasin, go. But take Jany, and I will tell someone where you have gone." Roald moved away and Kally nodded.

Soon we reached the Stables, and Kally saddled her horse, Opal Dream, and we were off. We had not gotten very far, when we met up with two people, also riding: Daine and Kaddar.

Daine waved to us as we all slowed to a halt, and Kaddar bowed from his Saddle.

"I have been asked to accompany you, Princess Kalasin." Kally sighed and swung her horse around, right back into the stables, fuming, she did not even pause to change from her clothes, she stormed into her Parent's private audience chamber.

"Enough!" She crossed her arms, and I settled on the back of a chair.

"Enough what?" Thayet asked calmly.


	3. Of Goddess and Chosen

A/N:

Disclaimer. It seems I have forgotten to add one to my first two chapters. So, Any Characters you recognise, belong to dear old Tammy. What's left is mine. Also, Review

Repsonses

Nothing Else Worked: Sorry, my computer is psycho and I am having issues with trying to get it to let me change who can review, second, sorry with the cliff-hanger, but the first chapters set the stage for the rest of the story, and who she chooses is not really important, it is that she chooses. Also, this is a Cannon fic, so if you have read Trickster's Choice, you know who she marries. Thanks for the POV praise! I love the hawk-thing too. 3rd person can get to be a drag at times! And this Chapter....you learn much of Ryn.

Of Goddess and Chosen 

Kalasin glared at her mother, Thayet the Peerless, and tapped her foot. I lit onto the back of the empty chair that a servant had brought for Kally. Outwardly, she was calm, but one could see that inwardly, Kalasin was in a rage.

"I know, and you know, that you are not going to leave me alone until I inform you of the result of my choice! You will send little emissaries like Daine and Kaddar to attempt to get it out of me! Well, Fine! You want my Choice? My _choice_ is Carthak!"

Mithros hovered over his sister as their child was brought into existence. She had been created in child form, and she could not look more impish and irascible than she did now. Her hair was soft and red, her eyes a black color that sparked green now and then. When intelligence showed in her eyes for the first time, Mithros could have sworn that the Goddess had borne an Imp. She had spread her newly created skirts and curtsied to her father. For years she was simply a child, not granted a title or job. Caught in the web between servant and child was not a comfortable place, so she eagerly changed her form to that of an impish young adult female, with red hair and black eyes. Soon, after the visit of the God-Born Daine, Ryn had gone to her Father, Mithros, and begged for a Place to call her own. He granted her a plot in a crossroads, and named her Choicera, the Goddess of Choices and Promises, thought everyone, even her supplicants, called her Ryn. She retained her youthful outlook and demeanor, despite her mother's atempts to change her. One day, however, as she watched the mortals below, she saw all the wonders they had that Immortals and Divine beings did not share. A Passion for life that changed the way they lived. Suddenly, a request hit her, and she sought her father, that he might grant her wish.

"MORTALITY?!" He had roared, and the world had felt it, and the Yamani isles had shaken (This was the Earthquake that killed Chisakami). "Why would you want to be mortal?" Ryn had shaken her head sadly.

"I want the same passion, the same joy that those people claim, and the only way to get it is through mortality." Her demeanor was calm, but her eyes snapped with desire. Mithros knew he was caught, but then a thought struck him.

"Gain a supplicant and bond with him or her to the point that they offer you a vial

of the blood of two mortals, then I will grant you what you ask.

I might only be a bird, and a young one at that, exposure to Daine, and constant questioning about two-legger gods has made me aware of the background of this goddess, the one who seems to be following my mistress around quite a bit. In fact, my eagle eyes can barely see the outline of her form behind Thayet. Speaking of the Peerless Queen, she was speechless at the moment.

"Well, Kally, I had hoped you would choose Kaddar...." She trailed off, her dark eyes overbright. "I am sure you will-"

"I did not choose Kaddar, mother, I Chose Carthak. Now, I am tired, and I have business to do. If you would please direct Kaddar to my private sitting room later, we have things to discuss."

Kally rose, and curtsied before spinning on heel, myself at her heels.


End file.
